Descendant of the Serpent
by MyaLilyRose
Summary: "Born with Purple Eyes, destined to either defeat of be defeated by he who defeated her father." Valerie Riddle is the daughter of Tom Riddle. She lost her father once, now she will do anything to get him back and keep him.
1. Chapter 1

Tom looked down adoringly at the little girl held in his arms. For hours he could have stared at her violet eyes and rosy cheeks still plump with baby fat. The child raised a delicate hand to his face and gurgled with joy, causing a smile to spread across his face. His face lit up every time she would giggle. He could hold her in his arms forever.  
Quickly, he glanced at the clock on the wall before sighing and standing from the leather armchair he'd be relaxed in for hours. Tom strode over to the crib in the nursery and stood beside it. Glancing down at the toddler in his arms, he sighed again.  
"I do not wish to leave you tonight my darling," he whispered to her.  
As if understanding, the child stopped smiling up at him and seemed to pout. She waved her little fist around vigorously.  
Tom have a small smile, "I know my sweet. I know. But I will be back. I promise you."  
Footsteps sounded behind him and he turned slightly. A woman leans against the door frame of the room watching him with a sad smile.  
"You don't have to go tonight Tom."  
She wandered forward slowly and placed a hand upon his shoulder.  
"You can stay home."  
Tom glanced at her before returning his gaze to the girl in his arms. He gave the girl his finger which she happily gripped.  
"You know I cannot. There are things that must be done. To ensure my future. To ensure your future. And to ensure our daughter's future."  
"That boy is only a few months younger than our Valerie…" the woman murmured resentfully.  
"That boy puts us all at risk Angelique." Tom growled.  
The girl is his arms squeezed his finger tighter and made what could only have been disproved as an angry noise.  
"I'm sorry sweetheart…" Tom apologized to her. "Time to sleep for you I think."  
He leans down and placed at small kiss on her forehead before lowering her down into the crib. Gently he pulled her blankets over her and tucked her in affectionately. He left another kiss on her head before standing straight and exiting the room.  
Angelique followed and closed the nursery door behind them. The two of them walked down the wooden hallway and into his study.  
"I know you disagree with this-" Tom began.  
"Disagree? Tom you're about to murder an innocent child!" She cut him off, her voice raised angrily.  
"To protect our daughter! Her future!" Tom shot back.  
Angelique fell silent.  
"You want Valerie to live out her life? To have her future? The one she deserves?" Tom pressed.  
"Of course I do-"  
"-well there you go." He cut in.  
"I just don't see why another innocent child will have to die for that." She finished.  
Tom dragged a hand down his face and groaned, "I'm not discussing this matter any further. This will be done. I will secure my daughter's future."  
He stormed from the room leaving Angelique glaring after him.  
He entered his daughter's nursery once again and quietly approached her crib. She hasn't fallen asleep and smiled up at her father when she saw him. Tom lowered his hand for her and she gripped his finger again, bringing it to her mouth.

Anyone who knew him, knew him as Lord Voldemort. Ruthless, merciless, cruel, sadistic.  
All his followers, that's all they saw. There were a select few who knew of his soft side. Who knew of his knew him as Tom Riddle, not just Lord Voldemort. They knew his reasons behind his acts, and his love for his did not take much. They would just have to see how much love he and his wife shared. Or the way he looked at and treasured his precious little girl. There wasn't anything he wouldn't do for the two of them.

* * *

Tom strode past the gate leading to the Potter's Residence, his wand drawn. He could hear yelling from inside the house, yells of terror. He burst through the door, finding James Potter waiting for him with a wand at the ready. Without hesitation, Tom sent loose a killing curse, hitting James and sending him to the floor in a lifeless heap. He proceeded to step over the lifeless form and made his way upstairs to where he believed he would find the child and his mother.

* * *

Angelique sat in the nursery's leather arm chair where he husband had previously sat, holding their daughter in his arms.  
She watched the sleeping child while fiddling with the ring on her finger. She knew her husband only wished to protect them, but he was going about the situation all wrong. Hurriedly she stood up and walked towards the crib. She softly looked down at her daughter. She was only shy of a year old and was already the most beautiful child anyone had ever seen. She had her father's black hair and nose, while she had Angelique's lips and cheeks. Her first few teeth had only just started coming through and were on display every time the little girl smiled.  
The only odd thing about her was her violet eyes. Angelique's eyes were a light green while Tom's a grey-blue. It was a mystery to them how she got her violet eyes, and both were entirely sure that she was their child.  
Angelique leaned down into the crib and brushed a finger along Valerie's cheek gently. The little girl stirred slightly, kicking herself to roll onto her stomach.  
"We will protect you darling."

* * *

"Stand aside silly girl!" Tom hissed at Lily Potter as she stood in front of her son.  
Tom wished to hold up his half promise to Severus Snape, that he wouldn't harm Lily Potter. He didn't wish to harm the woman, but she just wouldn't move.  
"Avada Kedavra!"  
Lily Potter hit the floor with a thud. Tom looked at her remorsefully, he hadn't meant to do it. She had just pushed his hand too far by standing in his way for too long.  
He turned his gaze to the baby in his crib. Momentarily, his own daughter flashed across his vision as he raised his wand. He blinked the image away and focussed on the child in front of him.  
' _For Valerie._ ' He thought as he murmured the killing curse.

* * *

Valerie's eyes shot open and she began screaming. Angelique rushed back to her daughter's crib and picked her up. She held the screaming child to her chest and rocked her slightly, rubbing her back and whispering to her soothingly, attempting to calm her.  
"What is it sweetness?" she wandered around the room, swaying as she did.  
Valerie continued to scream and cry loudly. Angelique rubbed her back and bounced and rocked her, yet nothing seemed to work.  
"Pippy!"  
A house elf appeared in front of her, "yes Mistress?"  
"Can you please bring Valerie some warm milk?"  
"Right away mistress."  
The house elf disappeared before returning with a bottle of heated milk. She handed it to Angelique.  
"Can Pippy get anything else for Mistress or Miss Valerie?"  
"No thank you Pippy. You may go."  
Pippy disappeared again. Angelique moved to sit in the armchair and held the tip of the bottom to Valerie's mouth.  
"Are you hungry, sweetheart?"  
Valerie continued to cry, pushing the bottle away with her small hands. Angelique sighed and just pulled her close, "What is it darling? I can't help unless you tell me."  
She knew it was useless, Valerie had yet to say her first word.  
"Daddy!" Valerie wailed, shocking Angelique.  
At that moment, Angelique knew something bad had happened to Tom.  
For the remainder of the night, she sat with Valerie in her arms. She eventually calmed Valerie to little sobs while she herself silently cried.  
It wasn't until morning one of Tom's closest followers and friends entered the house and found the two of them in the nursery both asleep and exhausted.  
It was there he gently broke the news to Angelique of her husbands defeat.


	2. Chapter 2

Two children sat playing on the floor while two women watched them, both drinking a cup of tea.  
"She is growing into something beautiful, isn't she?" Narcissa asked Angelique as she watched Valerie wave her toy wand around.  
Angelique let out a raspy sigh, "she is indeed."  
Valerie had grown quickly in the five years that had passed. Her hair was a dark brown and came down in natural curls halfway down her back. Her violet eyes had become a more vibrant purple and she stood almost 3ft tall.  
"I just wish I would get to watch her grow up and graduate," Angelique sighed before letting out a harsh cough.  
Narcissa quickly handed the woman her tea, which she graciously took after she'd stopped coughing.  
"How much longer do you have with her Angie?"  
"A few months."  
Angelique looked longingly at her daughter who had taken to trying to attack Narcissa's son, Draco, with her toy wand.  
"What will happen to her?"  
"I'll give her to my brother. He will take care of her."  
Narcissa nodded slowly, "does she still ask about Tom?"  
Angelique nodded, "always. She wants to know where her father is. I still haven't the heart to tell her."  
Tom's defeat had effected Angelique too harshly. After she had been told of his demise she hadn't eaten for weeks. Her brother had taken care of Valerie, moving in to care for both his sister and niece. Angelique had become sick with what was originally a flu but had soon evolved to some sort of deadly virus. Thankfully it wasn't contagious, so she didn't pass it on to Valerie.  
"Mummy! Look!"  
Both woman glanced over to see a very unhappy Draco. Why? Because Valerie had somehow managed to turn his normally platinum hair to a bright purple. They chuckled before Narcissa got up and changed his hair colour back to normal. Draco poked his tongue out at Valerie who then started chasing him around the room.  
"They are going to remain friends until the day they die I swear," Angelique laughed.  
"Of course, they are!" Narcissa confirmed.

* * *

Angelique passed away two years later during summer and Valerie's uncle Gabriel was given legal custody of Valerie. For the first year of having her, he moved them away to New York to remove her from the environment that would remind her most of her mother. On Valerie's tenth birthday, he moved them back to England to live in Riddle Manor.  
"Uncle Gabe, I need some help!"  
Gabriel made his way into Valerie's bedroom to find her trying to hang something up on her bed. He laughed when he realised it was the little basilisk that had hatched only a month before.  
"Why are you trying to put Nagini up on your bed?"  
She turned around and crossed her arms, Nagini slithering up onto her shoulder, "because she wanted to be up there. She told me so. And then told me she was too lazy to actually slither up there herself."  
Gabriel laughed more and shook his head, "well she is just going to have to stay on your shoulder, isn't she?"  
The little green snake hissed at him before tangling herself into Valerie's long black hair. He rolled his eyes at the little snake and turned to leave.  
"Uncle Gabe, when will I get my letter to Hogwarts?" Valerie asked quickly.  
"We've discussed this," he sighed, "not until you're eleven."  
Valerie huffed and turned to climb onto her bed. Gabriel left the girls room and wondered off to do his own thing.  
Valerie collapsed back onto her bed and reached for the book on her side table. ' _A_ _History of Magic'_ by Bathilda Bagshot. It was the third time she'd read through it. He uncle had decided she best have all her schoolbooks and supplies ready before she got her letter, so then she didn't have to fuss over it all. The only things she was missing were her robes and wand.  
"What house do you think I'll be sorted into Nagini?" she asked the little snake.  
Nagini hissed and Valerie smiled, "I think so too. Daddy was a Slytherin."  
Valerie had been fortunate to gain her father's gift of parseltongue. She could understand Nagini perfectly. She had found that out when she had a conversation with a snake while at the Central Park Zoo in New York City with her uncle one day. That's why he'd given her father's basilisk egg to her, in hopes it would hatch and she would have a companion. Nagini was only young thankfully, so her stare wouldn't harm anyone. Not until she was fully grown or at least close to.  
Valerie stroked Nagini's head affectionately and leaned back against her pillows, book propped up on her lap. She flicked through the pages, looking for where she was up to before settling down and reading for the remainder of the night.

* * *

A tapping on her window woke Valerie up. She groaned and blinked her eyes a few times before sitting up. She moved Nagini onto the pillow from where she'd be resting on her chest and made her way to the window. A little grey barn owl was tapping on the glass carrying a letter. She opened the window the let it in and it perched itself on the window sill. Valerie took the letter and fed the little owl a treat before it flew off again. The letter was addressed to her and gave her exact location. Turning it over, she almost screamed. The Hogwarts seal.  
She ripped open her bedroom door and ran down to her uncle's room where the man was fast asleep. She opened his door quickly and catapulted onto the bed, landing fair on him.  
He groaned loudly and sleepily opened his eyes to be met with the huge grin of Valerie.  
"What is it now?"  
Valerie held the letter out to him and waved it around in front of his face.  
"I just got my Hogwarts letter!"  
Gabriel sat up quickly and moved Valerie, so she was sitting on his legs. He was now wide awake and smiling with her.  
"Well go on, open it."  
Valerie tore into the envelope and pulled out two slips of paper. She let the smaller one float down onto her lap while unfolding the other.

 _'Dear Miss Riddle,  
_ _We are pleased to inform you that you have been accepted into Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. Please find enclosed a list of all necessary books and equipment.  
Term begins September 1_ _st_ _. We await your owl by no later than July 31_ _st_ _.  
Yours Sincerely,  
Minerva McGonagall  
Deputy Headmistress'_

Valerie all but screamed in excitement and hugged her uncle tight.  
"I'm going to Hogwarts! I am going to be sorted into Daddy's house and I am going to the best witch in the world!" she gave an evil sounding laugh before laughing normally.  
Gabriel laughed along with her, "we'll go into Diagon Alley tomorrow, get you a wand and then you can send a reply to McGonagall."  
Valerie nodded happily and did a small happy dance before getting up and taking her letter back into her bedroom. She threw herself onto her bed, disturbing Nagini who seemed to glare at her.  
"Sorry girl."  
The snake curled back up and closed her eyes again. Valerie just rolled her eyes at her familiar and hugged the letter to her chest.  
"I'll make you proud dad, mum. I promise."


	3. Chapter 3

"Valerie! Stop trying to feed that cat your finger, will you?" Gabriel yelled through the store after catching sight of her sticking her finger into the cage to a ginger cat with a flat face.  
"But Uncle Gabe, its hungry!" Valerie laughed.  
"Doesn't mean you feed the bloody thing your finger," he growled playfully.  
He took her arm and pulled her from the store. They'd been wandering through Diagon Alley for the past hour or so, ducking in and out of stores. While their mission was to purchase a wand and some robes for Valerie they decided to make a trip of it. They'd visited Gringotts first to pick up some money. Gabriel took a small amount from the Riddle vault and made a mental note to put his own money in there at some point to repay the amount he owed.  
They'd visited Madam Malkin's already for Valerie's robes, Florish and Blott's for books, Quality Quidditch Supplies for Gabriel and then Magical Menagerie, where Gabriel had just pulled Valerie from.  
"Come on, lets go get your wand then go get some ice cream," Gabriel suggested to his niece. She nodded in agreement and hurried through the crowds of people, making her way to Ollivander's. She burst into the store, startling the old man who had been sorting an arrangement of flowers.  
"Well hello my dear. Looking for your first wand?" his voice was raspy and thick with exhaustion. Valerie guessed he might have had many people come in for wands that day.  
"Yes sir!"  
"What's your name dear?"  
"Valarie Riddle."  
Ollivander's eyebrows flew up in surprise and shock, but he said nothing as he bustled around the store.  
"I remember the day your father came in for his wand. Feels like an age ago now," he pulled a box from a shelf, "7 ¾ inch, elm, dragon heartstring, rigid."  
He handed it to her and watched as she waved the wand. Accidently she shot a ball of fire from the wand, hitting the flowers the man had been arranging.  
"Oh goodness me! Definitely not!"  
He took the wand and bustled around again, pulling another box from a shelf. He took it over to her.  
"Try this. Ebony, inflexible, veela hair 9 ½ inch. I sold a similar many years ago. A young French girl named Angelique."  
"That was my sister." Gabriel said as he closed the door behind him.  
Again, Ollivander's eyebrow raised in surprise. Shaking it off, he handed the wand to Valerie whose eyes lit up when she touched it. Little spark flew from the top of the wand and a smile graced Ollivander's face.  
"The wand chooses the wizard. Or in your case, witch." He smiled at Valerie who gave him a toothy grin back.  
Gabriel paid for the wand and bid Ollivander a good day before leading Valerie out.  
"He seemed very surprised by me…" Valerie murmured as they walked towards Florean Fortescue's Ice-Cream Parlour.  
"You'll have to get used to that Val. You know why." Gabriel told her softly.  
She sighed as they stopped at Florean's.  
"Two pumpkin pasties please," Gabriel smiled at the man.  
"Coming right up," Florean turned and picked two out of the display behind him before handing them to Gabriel over the counter.  
"That'll be five Galleons please."  
Gabriel put 6 coins on the counter, "not a problem."  
Florean frowned and picked up the sixth coin, "you've given me six."  
"I know, it was no accident." Gabriel smiled, "keep it, I insist."  
Valerie giggled up at Florean, "my uncle always pays people one galleon more than they ask."  
"Your uncle is a good man. Thank you, sir and young miss. Have a lovely day."  
Valerie and Gabriel turned around with their pumpkin pasties and walked back through Diagon Alley.  
They were about to walk into The Leaky Cauldron when Valerie's name was called from behind them. She turned around and barely had enough time to react when a blonde-haired boy threw his arms around her.  
"I haven't seen you in months!"  
"Draco…I need to breathe…" Valerie gasped.  
He released her and steppe back, looking her up and down, "you don't look any different."  
Valerie rolled her eyes, "of course I do!"  
A feminine chuckle sounded from behind and Valerie smiled at the sight of Narcissa Malfoy.  
"Cissy!" she yelled and hugged the woman.  
"Hello dear, how have you been?"  
"Very well thank you! How about you?"  
"I've been quite well also."  
Valerie smiled widely and looked at Draco who was grinning at her.  
"I got my Hogwarts letter," he smirked.  
She pulled a face at him, "so did I."  
His face fell slightly, and Valerie laughed triumphantly. Draco thought he could hold that over her head until she got hers, but apparently not.  
"Doing your school supply shopping then, dear?" Narcissa assumed.  
"Only my wand and robes. Uncle Gabe brought me my books ages ago."  
Narcissa smiled and looked to Gabriel, starting up a conversation. Draco poked Valerie in the arm, in return she ruffled his hair, causing him to groan in annoyance.  
"You are such a pain in my butt," he stated.  
"Could say the same about you."  
Both rolled their eyes at each other.  
"Still keeping that promise to me?" Draco inquired.  
"Which one?"  
"The one where you sit with me on the Hogwarts Express."  
Valerie nodded and leant against the nearby wall, waiting for Gabriel and Narcissa to finish talking.  
"I did miss you Valerie," Draco confessed.  
Valerie smiled softly at him and gave him a small side hug, "I know. I missed you as well Draco."  
The two shared a warm look before being interrupted by Narcissa, "well come along Draco, we have things to do. It was lovely to see you Valerie. Come visit soon."  
With that the two pairs went their separate ways.

* * *

Pippy and Valerie stood by Valerie's bed, packing clothing and books into the girl's trunk. There were three days until Valerie would be seated on the Hogwarts Express and on her way to Hogwarts.

"Is Miss excited to go to Hogwarts?" Pippy asked.  
"Of course, I am Pippy! I will learn how to use magic and make some new friends!" Valerie exclaimed excitedly throwing the shirt she was folding, into the trunk.  
"Miss will come back and be much smarter than she was before!" Pippy exclaimed.  
In the time she had been home, Valerie had been teaching Pippy how to speak as though she was an equal. She never saw the point in treating Pippy like a slave and believed that the house elf should know how to speak properly. Pippy at first had been against the idea, but eventually after much persuading from Valerie, had relented.  
After all, Pippy had been Valerie's first friend. The elf had helped Tom and Angelique raise her since she was an infant. Although it had been Pippy's job as their house elf, Valerie felt like she owed her. She'd freed Pippy quite happily and the elf had stayed of free will to serve the house of Riddle anyways, with the freedom to do as she liked.  
"I'll miss you Pippy," Valerie hugged the elf tight.  
"Pippy…I will miss Miss Valerie too." Pippy corrected herself before continuing, earning a giggle from Valerie.  
"Make sure to keep up on learning your English Pippy. When I come back at Christmas, you will no longer be referring to yourself as Pippy. Only me, my or I."  
"Of course Miss Valerie," Pippy laughed.


	4. Chapter 4

Valerie skipped through Kings Cross Station with a wide smile on her face. Behind her, Gabriel was pushing her trolley. The trolley that held her trunk and Nagini's cage. The young basilisk wasn't overly happy to be in the cage as she hissed angrily at Gabriel every few moments. He'd been the one to decide she had to be caged, much to both Nagini's and Valerie's dismay. Valerie had insisted upon Nagini being wrapped around her arm the whole trip, but Gabriel had argued that if a muggle saw it could cause a large problem and Valerie could miss the train. So, Valerie agreed sadly and Nagini was put into the cage.  
"Valerie slow down!" Gabriel called.  
Valerie huffed and skidded to a stop, turning around, crossing her arms and tapping her foot.  
"Hurry up uncle!" She yelled impatiently.  
Gabriel pushed the trolley a little faster, making a little more haste. His niece rolled her eyes and continued skipping until she came to platform 9. She looked around for some indication of Platform 9¾ but found nothing.  
"Uhm…" she began as Gabriel finally caught up, "where is 9¾?"  
Gabriel walked past her with a smirk on his face, causing a very confused Valerie to slowly follow behind. When he stopped at the second pillar between platform 9 and 10, he pointed to the third.  
"You see that wall?" He pointed to it.  
"Yes, what about it?"  
"Run through it to get to Platform 9¾."  
Valerie stared up at her uncle like he was crazy. Run through the wall? Surely such things weren't possible. Then she remembered, magic was real. Checking the clock above them she realised she only had fifteen minutes left before the Hogwarts Express would leave.  
Hesitantly, she began jogging towards the wall and closed her eyes bracing herself for impact, only to feel a cool sensation pass over her body before she met stone.

She opened her eyes and looked at the grey wall in front of her, then the brick wall behind her that she had just passed through. Her eyes widened and lit up as her uncle Gabriel passed through with her trolley. He gestured with a hand for her to continue.  
As she turned the corner she was met with the sight of many people standing on the platform. It was loud and crowded, people all over the place hugging and talking. Valerie glanced at her uncle and swallowed nervously before beginning to make her way through the people. Frustration bubbled inside her as people stood, not acknowledging other people existed. She had to push people out of the way or brush past them. Her uncle followed with difficulty, trying to get through the massive crowd with the trolley.  
"Valerie!" He called after losing sight of her. He growled under his breath and called to her again.  
Valerie on the other hand was still pushing through the crowds, hoping to find Draco. She caught a glimpse of platinum hair and instantly began pushing harder through the crowd.  
"Draco!" she yelled.  
The blonde boy turned and saw her, a smirk playing at his lips. She stopped in front of him and straightened her clothing up.  
"I've been looking for you for ages," she told him loudly.  
He rolled his eyes at her and pulled her closer so that she didn't have to yell for him to hear her.  
"I was right here the whole time," he chortled.  
"Well how was I supposed to know that?" she retorted.  
Draco shrugged and turned around to look around the crowds. Valerie smiled up at Narcissa.  
The elegant woman was dressed in her usual black attire and a black hat. She flashed a small smile at Valerie before her face settled into her poker face. The one she wore when in public.  
There were two sides to Narcissa. There was her professional pureblood side, and her soft side. The professional side only came out when there were people around. She had to keep up her reputation as both a Black and a Malfoy. The soft side of her showed itself when she was in the presence of those she didn't need to act with, such as her husband, Draco, Valerie or close friends.  
"Is that Valerie?" a guttural asked from beside Narcissa.  
Valerie shifted her gaze to the man who had spoken, and her eyes widened.  
The man stood only a little taller than Narcissa and had long platinum blonde hair. His grey-blue eyes were calculating and studying her, while his shaven face remained straight and almost emotionless. He wore a black shirt and cloak with black trousers. His clothing, like Narcissa's, were made of the finest and most expensive looking fabrics.  
"It is," Narcissa nodded, "Valerie, this is Lucius. My husband and Draco's father."  
Valerie offered her hand to Lucius politely, "It's nice to meet you Mr Malfoy."  
"Call me Lucius sweet girl." Lucius insisted.  
"Alright, Lucius." Valerie corrected herself.  
"Valerie!" A frustrated Gabriel called.  
The four of them turned to the source of the call and Valerie grinned sheepishly.  
"Sorry Uncle Gabe."  
The man shot her a glare before pushing the trolley with her things closer to them.  
"Mr and Mrs Malfoy, always a pleasure." Gabriel greeted the adults.  
"Mr Leroux," Lucius nodded.  
"Hello Gabriel." Narcissa greeted.  
"I trust the two of you are well?" Gabriel asked.  
"Quite well. I trust you are also well?" Narcissa asked politely.  
"I am. Just seeing Valerie off."  
Valerie smiled up at her uncle, "which is about now I'd say."  
She pointed to the clock overhead. It read 10.55am.  
"Oh yes! Well, have fun! Enjoy the trip!" Gabriel kissed Valerie's forehead with a wide smile.  
"Thank you uncle." Valerie turned to Narcissa and Lucius, "It was wonderful to see you!"  
"You too dear," Narcissa gave her a small hug before hugging her son tight.  
Lucius smiled slightly at Valerie, "I trust we will see you for Christmas, Miss Riddle?"  
"Please call me Valerie, and yes, that would be lovely."  
Lucius nodded before turning to say goodbye to his son also.  
Gabriel smiled slightly at his niece, "the house will be so quiet without you."  
"But pleasant."  
"Mayhaps, but I will miss you."  
The two of them shared one last hug before Draco pulled Valerie through the crowd and onto the train.  
They weaved through the walkway down the side of the train, searching for an empty compartment. Eventually they found one and sat opposite each other. Valerie sat awkwardly, wringing her hand and looking out the window, while Draco watched her. He shook his head and chose not to say anything.  
The compartment door slid open and two large boys stood in the doorway. Valerie's head snapped around to look at them while Draco lazily gazed at them.  
One of them had dirty blonde hair and a square face, he stood only a little taller than the other and it looked as though her was squinting. The other boy was round with a round face and very short black hair.  
"Uh…" the round one grunted.  
"Can we sit in here?"  
Draco shrugged while Valerie turned her head and returned to gazing out the window.  
The train had begun moving. There were parents and guardians waving to their children as the train passed them, other were already walking from the platform. Valerie caught sight of Narcissa, Lucius and Gabriel still standing where they had been before. They were in conversation. Valerie smiled slightly before she lost sight of them and a wall filled her view. She sighed and leaned back on the bench seat of the compartment.  
"So…what are your names then?" she asked the two boys who had seated themselves.  
The round one had seated himself beside Draco, while the other had sat beside her.  
"I'm Vincent. Vincent Crabbe." The round one said.  
"Yeah, and I am Gregory Goyle."  
Valerie smiled at them, "I am Valerie Riddle. That's Draco Malfoy." She nodded in Draco's direction.  
"Are you Purebloods?" Draco asked.  
Valerie rolled her eyes and pulled a book from her bag, opening it and began reading, ignoring the boys.  
While she knew she should make friends, she was too nervous at that moment. If she made friends with people before being sorted, they could be put into different houses. At least, that was the way she thought about it in that moment. The boys spent the trip talking learning about each other, while Valerie would occasionally chip in.

* * *

They arrived at Hogwarts after dark. Draco, Crabbe, Goyle and Valerie all got off the train together.  
"First years! First years over here!" a loud voice bellowed through the night.  
Following the rest of their peers, they found the person beckoning them was a very large man with unruly beard and unkept hair. He wore a large coat with multiple pockets and had an umbrella hanging from the inside of the coat.  
"First years over here!" he called.  
Valerie pressed herself a little closer to Draco, biting her lip nervously as the other students gathered around her in a tight group. Draco chucked at her quietly.  
"Scared Valerie?" he whispered, amusement clear in his voice.  
"Shut up," Valerie hissed at him.  
Draco laughed and nudged her, "won't be that bad."  
Valerie turned her head slightly and glared at him from the corner of her eye, "what if I am sorted into Gryffindor? Or Hufflepuff? What would my father think of me?"  
Draco groaned and ran a hand down his face, "I don't know Rie. Just relax okay?"  
The large man beckoned all the students to followed him, and they all began moving. Valerie stayed close to Draco, who was sticking around Crabbe and Goyle. They came to the water's edge and Valerie gasped as she saw the little boats. The first years all started climbing into them and once three or four people were seated in them, they would begin moving. Draco climbed into a boat and held a hand out for Valerie. She took it and nervously stepped down into the little wooden thing before sitting beside her friend. Crabbe and Goyle climbed in clumsily behind them and the boat began moving.  
Hogwarts Castle came into view and there was chatter from almost every boat.  
"It's beautiful…" Valerie marvelled.  
"It's alright I suppose." Draco shrugged.  
Valerie ignored his comment and continued studying the castle lit up ahead. It was where her father had learnt and practiced in magic. It would be where she would learn and practice magic. She felt like she'd found a piece of her, just looking at the castle.  
The boats met the shoreline and the giant man, Hagrid, lead them into the great castle. He left them at the stairwell and let them walk up themselves. Valerie glanced around her, taking in the stone walls and lanterns. The first years all made their way up the stairs, chatting brightly until they reached the stop.  
An older woman stood at the top. She wore an emerald green drape over a black floor length dress, with a hat sat atop her head. Her face held a stern expression as she gripped a scroll in her hand.  
"Welcome to Hogwarts," she began. "The start-of-term banquet will begin shortly, but before you take your seats in the Great Hall, you will be sorted into your houses. The Sorting is a very important ceremony because, while you are here, your house will be something like your family within Hogwarts. You will have classes with the rest of your house, sleep in your house dormitory and spend free time in your house common room."  
Draco nudged Valerie with a little smirk. She rolled her eyes at him and shook her head. She knew what he was implying. That she'd have to make friends quickly if she wasn't sorted into Slytherin, because he wouldn't be there with her.  
"The four houses are called Gryffindor, Hufflepuff, Ravenclaw and Slytherin." Valerie raised her chin proudly at the mention of Slytherin. The noble house her father had been in.  
"While you are at Hogwarts, your triumphs will earn your house points, while any rule-breaking will lose house points. At the end of the year, the house with the most points is awarded the House Cup, a great honour. I hope each of you will be a credit to whichever house becomes yours. The Sorting Ceremony will take place in a few minutes in front of the rest of the school. I will return when we are ready for you, please wait quietly."  
The woman turned around and walked through the doors.  
Valerie let out a breath she didn't know she'd been holding.  
"It's true then, what they were saying on the train." Draco's smug voice sounded, "Harry Potter has come to Hogwarts."  
Valerie froze, her eyes on her blonde friend as he leant against the stone rail. She hadn't heard anything od the sort. She took a breath and turned her gaze over to the brunette boy with glasses that Draco was leering at. She felt her face turn into a frown and she swallowed the lump in her throat.  
Harry Potter's gaze was fixed on Draco.  
"This is Crabbe and Goyle. That's Valerie." Draco nodded at each of them as introduced them.  
Potter's eyes rested on Valerie, noticing the girl's cold glare was focussed on him.  
"And I'm Malfoy." Draco advanced on Potter, "Draco Malfoy."  
The blonde boy stood in front of Potter. A snort came from the red-haired boy beside him.  
"Think my name is funny, do you? No need to ask for yours. Red hair and a hand-me-down robe. You must be a Weasley." Draco sneered at him.  
Valerie took a step forward, towards Draco, but it went unnoticed.  
"You'll soon find out that some wizarding families are better than others, Potter. You don't want to go making friends with the wrong sort. I can help you there."  
Draco offered his hand out to the boy and Valerie let out a low growl from the back of her throat, taking a step back in anger and shock. Her best friend was trying to befriend the boy that killed her father!  
Valerie watched as Potter looked down at Draco's hand, "I think I can tell the wrong sort for myself, thanks."  
Valerie smirked to herself, thankful the boy hadn't accepted Draco's offer. She didn't know what she'd do if he had. That boy was the reason she had no father after all.  
The woman returned and tapped Draco on the shoulder with her scroll, "we are ready for you now."

The first years followed the woman into the Great Hall where all the other students were seated. They walked in pairs down the middle aisle of the room, many marvelled at the ceiling that had been bewitched and looked like the night sky with candles floating just below.  
They all stopped at the front of the room, just below the teacher's table and in front of a stool with an old hat sitting on top of it.  
"Now before we begin, Professor Dumbledore would like to say a few words."  
An old man with a long big stood up from behind the teacher's table, "I have a few start of term notices I wish to announce. The first years please note that the Dark Forest is strictly forbidden to all students. Also, our caretaker, Mr Filch, has asked me to remind you that the third floor corridor is on the right hand side is out of bounds to everyone who does not wish to die a most painful death. Thank you."  
The man sat down again as the students all looked around at each other in confusion at his words.  
Then the hat began to sing, while Valerie studied each of the professors. She over looked the first few but stopped on one dressed in all black with shoulder length greasy hair. His gaze had been set on the group of students. Or maybe just one in particular, Harry Potter. Valerie tilted her head, looking at the professor before moving her gaze to the one sitting beside him, chatting away.  
He wore a purple turban around his head and was facing the dark dressed teacher.  
 _"Valerie."_  
A voice hissed around her and she looked around frantically looking for the source. Yet no one looked to have said her name. Draco raised his eyebrow at her curiously.  
 _"Valerie."_  
It took her a moment to realise the voice was in her head. She frowned and looked around again before turning her attention to Professor McGonagall who had begun speaking.  
"Now, when I call your name, you will come forth. I shall place the sorting hat on your head and you will be sorted into your house."  
She glances at the scroll she held in one hand, "Hermione Granger."  
A bushy haired girl walked forward slowly and nervously, talking to herself in an attempt to calm her nerves. She sat upon the stool and McGonagall placed the hat on her head.  
Valerie noticed Weasley lean into Potter, "mental that one. I'm telling you."  
"Gryffindor!"  
One of the tables behind them cheered loudly and the girl, Hermione, smiled and jumped down from the stool, making her way to that table.  
"Draco Malfoy."  
Draco smirked and squeezed Valerie's hand gently before walking up. He sat on the stool, smirk still on his face. McGonagall had barely even lowered that hat before its screamed out, "Slytherin!"  
Slytherin table burst into cheers, Draco proudly strode down to the table, giving Valerie a slight nod on his way past.  
"There's not a witch or wizard who went bad that wasn't in Slytherin," Weasley told Potter.  
Valerie rolled her eye at the silly boy and watched as the next few students were sorted. She could feel herself becoming more and more anxious.  
"Ronald Weasley."  
The red-haired boy gulped before making his way up, tripping slightly on his way up. It took a moment after the hat was placed upon the boys head before it called, "Gryffindor!"  
Gryffindor table cheered yet again as the boy made his way down to sit with them.  
"Harry Potter."  
The whole room quietened at the mention of that name with whispered every now and again. Even Dumbledore leaned forward in interest. Valerie frowned. The boy was famous for killing someone so important to her. He didn't deserve that fame. He didn't deserve any of it.  
The brunette boy walked up to the stool and sat on it. The whole room stayed silent, waiting for the hat to announce his house.  
"Gryffindor!" it yelled.  
The table cheered louder than it had for any of the other students and the boy moved to sit with them.  
"Valerie Riddle."  
Valerie's breath caught in her throat and she slowly stepped up to the stool. She noticed that most of the professors on the teacher's table were watching her intently, the professor with the turban and professors Dumbledore most intently. She turned around and sat on the stool, glanding to Slytherin table. Draco caught her eye and he smiled at her gently.  
The hat was placed on her hair and she gasped as it began speaking to her.  
"Daughter of the Dark Lord. Well, well, never thought I'd see the day. Your father was placed in Slytherin. Perhaps that is where you should be placed. But your mother…she was pure of heart, wasn't she? So where to put you?"  
Valerie closed her eyes tight. All she could think was anywhere but Gryffindor.  
"Slytherin would follow your family's reputation. Following in your father's footsteps. And Gryffindor…you could be great."  
Valerie winced at the hat's words.  
"But that would be cruel, best to keep you in…Slytherin!"  
Slytherin house all cheered, and Valerie's eyes snapped open. She grinned widely and made her way down to the table, taking a seat beside Draco and a dark-haired girl.  
"I told you not to worry." Draco muttered.  
Valerie smirked at him before glancing up at the teachers table. Dumbledore was watching her intently, a knowing look on his face. He knew who she was.


End file.
